Thursday, April 23, 2009

It’s been a couple of weeks since Passover and many Jewish people (and their admirers) realize that they have boxes of unused matzoh. I’ve learned that these make great vehicles for peanut butter, honey, chocolate and jelly. However if you want a substantive meal, your best bet is matzoh brei (literally fried matzoh). The dish is essentially matzoh French toast and comes out of the same tradition – a way to salvage unused or stale bread.

Matzoh brei can be sweet or savory and prepared formed like a frittata or loose like scrambled eggs. It can be topped with salsa, apple sauce, jelly, sugar or preserves. Some people incorporate cheese, meat or vegetables. Matzoh brei is generally prepared during Passover when observant Jews do not eat leavened bread. However it makes a delicious and quick breakfast or brunch at any time of the year.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

This recipe brings together three of my favourite ingredients – chocolate, coconut and bananas. It’s the second banana bread recipe I’ve posted on this site – check out the first one for more about this American quick bread.

Ingredients1/2 cup desiccated coconut, toasted

1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup granulated or caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 overripe bananas, mashed1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and grease and flour the pan.2. Toast coconut in oven (at 350 F for 10-15 minutes), saucepan or microwave (on high for 30 seconds at a time). Check frequently as coconut can burn easily. Set aside to cool.3. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut and set aside.4. In a large bowl beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add bananas and coconut extract and mix well.5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into loaf pan.6. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool to room temperature.7. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice banana bread into 3/4 inch pieces. Serve at breakfast, brunch or tea time. Store in air tight container for 2 days at room temperature or refrigerated for one week.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Easter is one of my favorite times of year. I have fond childhood memories of egg hunts, chocolate bunnies and peeping yellow chicks. Alberta, the province where I grew up, has a special connection to Easter. The tiny town of Vegreville boasts the world’s largest Ukrainian Easter egg known as a Pysanka.

This week’s recipe is adapted from Ina Garten’s famous coconut cupcakes which are topped with green coconut 'grass' and decorated with chocolate or candy eggs.

Directions1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a muffin pan with foil liners.2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on high speed. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.3. In a small bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.4. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and the milk to the wet ingredients. Mix well. Add another 1/3 of dry ingredients and coconut milk. Mix well. Add remaining dry ingredients. Fold in coconut.5. Spoon batter into muffin liners and bake until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes.6. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and remove to baking rack until completely cool.7. To make frosting, in a large bowl beat cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.8. Using a knife spread frosting on cupcakes.9. Put shredded coconut in a large Ziplock bag. Add a few drops of food color. Close tightly and shake until the coconut is colored. If you want deeper color, add more food color and repeat.10. Sprinkle on cupcakes. Gently place two to three eggs on each cupcake. Refrigerate to set the frosting.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Scallops are marine animals found in all of the world’s oceans. Closely related to clams, oysters and mussels, scallops are active swimmers and have the distinction of being the only migratory bivalves (two-shelled mollusks).

The term scallop comes from the ancient port of Ascalon which is modern day Ashkelon, Israel. The shell has become associated with Saint James the Greater, a disciple of Jesus. It is also a symbol of fertility - images of Venus, the Roman Goddess of fertility and love, are often associated with the scallop. The most well known example is Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. As a testament to its enduring appeal, in 1988 the scallop was named the official shell of New York state.

Scallops are popular in Western and Eastern cuisine. In the United States and Europe they are often sautéed (as in this recipe) or breaded and fried. In Japan scallops are served fresh in sashimi, sushi or soup. In China dried scallops, known as conpoy, are used to flavor sauces, stir fries and rice porridge.

In anticipation of summer, this recipe can provide a fresh and tangy start to your meal.

Directions1. In a small bowl, mix mango, pepper, onions and cilantro. Set aside.2. In another bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lime juice, honey and Tabasco. Pour over mango mixture. If making in advance, mix the two just before cooking the scallops.3. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté scallops over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes on each side.4. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Serve topped with mango relish. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over each plate before serving.

MY PROFILE AND EMAIL

Welcome to TREAT A WEEK, which features original recipes from around the world. Although I have a soft spot for dessert and brunch, my recipes cover all meals. I try to bring a cultural and historical perspective to food, and love to feature recipes specific to less known holidays. I hope you will enjoy reading this blog. Please feel free to comment - including questions and constructive criticism.
To search for recipes type an ingredient or key word into the white box in the top left hand corner of the homepage, and hit the magnifying glass icon to run the search. Alternately, search for recipes by type in the KEY WORD SEARCH half-way down the right-hand margin. To receive an email when I post, Follow me with Google Friend Connect or sign up through Google Groups or contact me at:
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Unless otherwise noted, all recipes are the original creation of AKR. All photos by AKR and LPJ. Please do not post or publish without citing. Contact me if you have any questions: treataweek (at) gmail (dot) com.